Cozy Up This Holiday Season with Journey Home

Cozy up this holiday season with Journey Home by Virginia Scholl Hanson. A must-read for everyone, as family, home and courage are the focus of this inspirational novel.

Inspire to Dream This Holiday Season

Journey Home is a historical fiction book that I thoroughly enjoyed because it felt like I was on a journey with The Halvorson brothers. This story follows the Norwegian Halvorson family in mid-1800’s Norway, as they struggle with decisions to emigrate and follow their dreams.

The book details the lives of Jorgen Halvorson and his younger brother, Andrew, who have made plans to emigrate from Norway to America. Against their parents’ wishes, they’re determined to own land in America. At a time when the prospects of buying farm land in their beloved homeland are non-existent, the Halvorson’s make their way.

Have Faith in the Unknown

Their decisions result in a difference of opinion, dividing the brothers when they eventually make the crossing. Their story is one of many immigrants, leaving home with the desire for a better life. There are unknown dangers surpassed by the exhilaration of new horizons. Similar to most families who take this path, there are the consequences of good and bad.

The characters in this novel are relatable and endearing. They’re understood as you learn about the hardships they endure and the courage they display on their long “journey.” This book is a great read for the holidays. It brings home the importance of family and the conflicts that every family faces when dealing with life’s circumstances.

About the Author

Virginia Scholl Hanson was born in Chicago on May 17, 1942. Growing up on Chicago’s northwest side, she graduated from Northern Illinois University. With 2 degrees in Elementary Education and Speech Correction, Hanson previously worked as a teacher and tutor. She began this novel in 2012 and published it in December 2016.

After a 3 year battle with Multiple System Atrophy, Hanson passed away at the age of 74 years old on January 23, 2017. The creation of Journey Home was based on her family’s history and their determination for a better life.